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5/18/2021
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Robert Sumwalt has announced to the agency’s workforce that he intends to step down on June 30.
An NTSB spokesman confirmed a news report that Sumwalt will depart at the end of next month.
Sumwalt was sworn in as the NTSB’s 14th chairman in August 2017, after being nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Sumwalt began his tenure at the agency in August 2006 when President George W. Bush appointed him to the board and designated him vice chairman. In November 2011, President Barack Obama reappointed Sumwalt to an additional five-year term as a board member.
Sumwalt is a "fierce advocate" for improving safety in all modes of transportation, including rail-safety initiatives, according to his bio on the NTSB website.
Prior to joining the NTSB, Sumwalt was a pilot for 32 years, including 24 years with Piedmont Airlines and US Airways. Following his airline career, Sumwalt managed the corporate aviation department for a Fortune 500 energy company.